00:01:43
And then from there, I discovered that actually there's so much more that you can do with LinkedIn than just to have it use it as an online CV. So I transitioned into LinkedIn coaching at the beginning of 2020, and specifically, I help women today to start being visible on LinkedIn in order to build powerful personal brands that will unlock opportunities for their business and their career. What an inspirational journey. I really like how you told us about the background, that it was not always that you knew exactly that this is it. There was a journey behind the development and evolution. And is it always about the entrepreneur is like going really like from one direction to another? Is it always like try and error?
00:02:34
Because it seems to me that the journey that you have is really similar to mine, that like the evolution is where actually the clarity comes with the brand. So was it also in your case? Yeah, and I think for me as well, I'm somebody who, so I believe that we spend way too much of our lives at work. And I think that's one of the reasons why I'm so excited to be here. And I work to just do any job for the sake of it, just to pay the bills. I understand that there are seasons when you may just have to take any job, pay the bills, but that should not be your career. And that should not be your relationship with work overall.
00:03:12
So, I'm somebody who's always felt that I have to do work that I love, you know; I have to do work that I enjoy. And I have to do work that I find meaning and purpose in, and also work that pays me, you know. So, it's been a case of following my career. And I think that's been a case of following my career. And I think that's been a case of following my career. And I think that's been a case of following my passions and my desires, what I sometimes call my inner vocation. So having started out in the media, I thought that was the pathway for me. And along the way, it was like, actually, this doesn't quite feel like the right fit. What else is it?
00:03:39
And then I moved into comms. And then again, on the business front is evolving with the business, you know, after 12 years of talking about CVs and writing many written books on it, two books on job hunting, you know, etc. I did lots of talks everywhere. It's like, I'm not going to do that. I'm going to do that. I'm going to I was like, I think I've said everything that I want to say about CVs and job hunting. So it's time for something different. And I started to at that time, I started to feel this pull towards LinkedIn. So that was a natural pathway of again, following my inner vocation, my desires in terms of this is where I feel like I'm being led to.
00:04:19
So I'm going to go there and focus and put everything into it. And that's what I did. And I and I find some good success on LinkedIn in doing so. So, I do believe in as an entrepreneur, it is kind of like, you start start somewhere, and then don't be afraid to evolve as you go or even to stop something if you've been doing it, and it's not working. Yeah, don't be afraid to stop it and try something else. Because I don't believe that failure exists. I believe that, as I say to my kids, there are no such thing as failures, only lessons. So if you learn from it, it's not a failure. So you can always move on and adapt from there. I love it.
00:05:00
And I think that your kids are really lucky that they have this lesson already from the beginning. Because it's really it's about lessons. It's about learning. I also learned recently that it's really important to know when to say stop. Because sometimes entrepreneurs, they are just pushing a lot of time and money into something that they know that doesn't work. But it's like their baby. But it's usually that it's like, you know, it's try and error. And it's also like impossible. It's really important to set barriers, when you can also say like, all right, this was already enough, maybe let's try something else. Or like, let's reposition myself a bit, what actually the market needs. And it's always about the exploration and evolution.
00:05:43
And what actually inspired you to focus exactly on the LinkedIn as a platform to help women leaders to amplify their influence? Because, like, why didn't you start with the Instagram or TikTok or other platforms? Well, I can't stand all of those pointing things people used to do on Instagram and TikTok, right? But no, seriously, though, it's funny because I've been on LinkedIn since, I don't know, maybe 2003 or something, but it's when I joined LinkedIn. But like most people, I started off using the platform just as an extension of my CV. It's like, okay, you know, here's where I can put myself out there and see what happens. But along the way, with my CV, I've been on LinkedIn since, I don't know, my CV business first.
00:06:29
I noticed that when I put things out, I would post every now and again when I was inspired, you know, which was maybe like once a month, twice a month, you know, at most, that kind of rhythm. But I would find that a lot of my clients would approach me through LinkedIn. So people were finding me from LinkedIn. And this is with me doing minimal activity. And back then, I didn't know all this personal branding stuff. So I had been branding myself over the years, but unintentionally. So the shift came towards the end of 2019. It's like, I started, I really felt this urge that LinkedIn was going to be like the platform to focus on. By this point, I had built like some kind of presence there.
00:07:10
But again, I wasn't posting regularly. I was just putting things out every now and then, you know, and I had a profile on there, all that kind of stuff. So I felt like LinkedIn is a platform to focus on. You need to go all in, you know, I had this real sense of you need to go all in on this platform. So I said, okay, right, beginning of 2020, I decided to go all in. And I went from posting every now and again, when I was inspired to, I took up this 30-day challenge that somebody was doing. It was a paid challenge for 30 days. The challenge was to post every single day on LinkedIn for 30 days. And I was like, oh, there's no way I'm going to be able to do that.
00:07:48
Because like, what am I going to talk about? You know, which is probably what a lot of people fear. I was like, what am I going to talk about? I mean, I was posting twice a month. I had to post every day for 30 days, but I like challenges. So I was like, hmm, let's see, let me give it a shot and see what happens. And I ended up doing that challenge. I ended up posting every single day for that 30 days. And then I didn't stop. I continued. And so for four years in a row, I posted every single weekday and occasionally weekends on LinkedIn. And it was absolutely phenomenal for my brand in terms of furthering my own visibility. But I started to wear what I learned in the process with people.
00:08:29
And I started to find an audience of women really started to gather around me because the principles of LinkedIn apply every year, man or woman. But I find that there's some unique challenges that we face as women in terms of our visibility, obviously not every woman, but generally coming out, putting yourself out there is something that a lot of women that I've worked with, it's not so easy for them. It's something that they have to think about. It's something that's like a big deal. You know, so I realized that there's an audience, especially for women to really kind of master this art of putting yourself out there because the days of just waiting to be recognized are gone. The days of like, if I put my head down and work hard enough, someone will notice those days are gone too.
00:09:15
So we are in the days of personal branding. We are in the days of putting yourself out there and, and showing and sharing the image, how you want to be, how you want to be known, taking control. Of your brand because you have one. So that's really how I ended up realizing that this is a, this is a niche. There's a demand for it. And also the timing was divine as well, because again, so beginning of the year is of 2020 is when I did this. And then about three months later from about March COVID happened. And now suddenly we're in lockdown and now no one can go out anymore to network. People are like, Oh my God, I need to, I need to still connect with, with people and network and build my professional thing.
00:09:59
How do I use this platform called LinkedIn? You know, and there I was already positioned to help people with LinkedIn. So that really helped to accelerate my growth on LinkedIn in terms of my business and building a community, which later became my Visible Woman Tribe. So the timing was also absolutely perfect for the whole thing, which confirmed that urge, that spiritual urge that I felt to just get on there and get on LinkedIn right now. Nice. I love it. I loved it. You already, you were on LinkedIn since 2003 that you have a really a long experience with LinkedIn and also the 30 days challenge and like all of these, all of these impressive stuff that you did. And you also wrote a book, Start Being Visible.
00:10:43
So can you tell us maybe more about what are the key steps that any leader can take to start being visible or any woman leader can, can start to be a visible? Instead of like a, only like this 30 days challenge, actually. Yeah, no, absolutely. So yeah, I wrote the book, Start Being Visible. The original version came out in September, 2020, and then the updated version came out last year. So there is a nice big, nice packed updated version available. But so the book covers absolutely everything you need to know to build a powerful personal brand on LinkedIn, whether you're doing it for career purposes or for business. So the key thing about that that I share in my book — there's so much else, but the PACE formula, which I'll share with you now.
00:11:32
It's like, if you want to start being visible and LinkedIn, what I call the PACE formula, is where you need to focus. PACE stands for Profile, Audience, Content, and Engagement. So profile, you need to have a profile that really speaks to your audience and communicates your message, your brand message very clearly, because that is going to attract people on your LinkedIn. behalf 24 7 because linkedin as a platform as of as of now has over 1 billion users on the platform and there's always somebody online you know around the world across the world so if you have a powerful profile you can potentially be attracting your at your target audience whether that's um for
00:12:13
clients or work purposes all the time so that's the very very first one the key um all of these four by the way are equally important you know so it's like a table with four legs you take away one of the legs it's not quite as steady right so that the second one audience is you need to have clarity on who your audience is on linkedin you can't just go on there and just say well i'm just gonna put up pose i'm gonna talk to everyone that's never gonna work you know if you try to resonate with everybody you will resonate with nobody so you need to pick an audience okay who do i want to speak to like i said my message visibility start being message Start being visible, I speak to female leaders and business owners now.
00:12:57
I've had men approach me and use my services; you know, I've had men as clients, but they are not my core audience. So in my posts, in my content, I speak to my audience. It's important that you know who your audience is and you you speak to them in your profile and also in your content. Which takes us to the 'content' if you want to be visible on LinkedIn, you have to show up with content and on a regular basis. Now, do you have to post every single day like I did? All in all those times? Not necessarily. But if you are serious about using LinkedIn to build your business or to Elevate your career, you need to show up regularly, and I tend to advise my clients to at least show up three times a week.
00:13:39
So it's that the consistency of that showing up with thoughtful messages, etc not just putting out any old rubbish. Right, so you need a content plan, but you need to show up regularly and you need to show up regularly and you need to show up regularly. But that consistency is what's going to help to build your brand and unlock those opportunities for you. And then finally, the last one is engagement in the peace formula; so engagement is how you engage with other people on the platform LinkedIn will not. Work for you if you just post and dump, you know, or if you just lurk so you just come in, see what other people are doing, and you go out-you don't engage as in you don't like, um, anybody's stuff like love react whatever it is to the post, you don't leave comments, you don't like I don't like I don't like I don't like I don't like I don't like objects you don't.
00:14:20
You don't deliberately go out to add people to your network. If you don't do those things, you're missing out on a huge piece of the personal brand building. So you need to engage on LinkedIn, engage with people on LinkedIn, and that's what's going to help you. So all these together, if you want to start being visible, follow the PACE formula, and you've got an excellent starting point that will see you through for a long time. Yes. So it's profile, audience, content, and engagement. And then also the Start Being Visible book for other additional tips for how to build your brand and being visible on LinkedIn. I love it. But when we are speaking about LinkedIn as being a social media platform, and there are also out there other social media platforms, like, for example, Instagram.
00:15:11
We know that Instagram is, let's say, at its really big peak, like over 40% of people being content creators. And it's really difficult to actually get through the algorithm to start being visible on the Instagram, where we are currently on LinkedIn. Are we at the peak, at the beginning, where we are currently? If I'm now considering if I should invest my time into LinkedIn, do I have a lot of chances that I will actually be visible? Absolutely. Absolutely. So LinkedIn. LinkedIn is behind the other platforms, one in terms of size as well. So Instagram, Facebook, et cetera, they've got way more people on the platform. So they've got more than 1 billion, which LinkedIn has only just entered the 1 billion. That's the first thing.
00:16:06
But also, in terms of the number of people who are actively creating content on LinkedIn, it is small. It's less than 10%. Some estimates, there's about 5% to 7% of the people on LinkedIn. And that's the number of people who are actually being visible and creating content. So because a lot of people are intimidated by LinkedIn being a professional platform, they hold back. You know, they hold back themselves in terms of what they put out there. So they don't post content. They lurk. So if you start today, and I mean today, whenever you hear this, let that be your today. If you start today, you've still got the chance to use the platform and organically build your visibility. Now, we'll say, though, so Facebook and Instagram, et cetera, are going; especially Facebook.
00:16:54
It's like definitely a pay-to-play model over there. You get zero visibility. But Instagram, et cetera, they are very saturated. LinkedIn is slowly going in that direction. But because they're going there slowly, there's still opportunity for you to get in now. You can still organically build an audience without paying for advertising, without, you know, doing all of these other things that you have to do on the other platform. And it just starts with you, first of all, making a decision that you're going to start being visible and then following the pace formula that I just spoke about and get started on it today. But the opportunity is still there on LinkedIn. Definitely. What are the biggest obstacles that you hear from the women leaders that they don't want to really start with LinkedIn or, like, is your, actually, is your ideal audience already on LinkedIn?
00:17:48
Like, really active, established, or you even provide services for example for the people who want to start on LinkedIn? And what might be their obstacles in order to actually start? Yeah. So I work with women who are brand new to LinkedIn. And I also work with women who have been on LinkedIn, but they have no idea what they're doing on LinkedIn. So they haven't had any results from it or, you know, they've done some things and they've tried some things. And they don't. They don't know what they're doing because they have no strategy, you know. So whether you're somebody, you're in a place where you're like, okay, I'm kind of curious about this platform, but I don't know where to get started. I work with women like that.
00:18:30
Or you're like, okay, I've been on this platform for a while. I've been doing bits. I've picked up a few bits here and there. I've learned this. Maybe I've read one or two books, but I'm not seeing anything happening. I don't really know what I'm doing, if I'm doing it well. I also work with those women. But in terms of the obstacles, in Start Being Visible, my book, I do talk about the seven key obstacles that stop women from building, being visible on LinkedIn and building their personal brand here. So one of the key things I hear all the time is this fear of judgment, you know. Again, because I've said, as I said a few times already, because LinkedIn is a professional platform in the sense that where Facebook and Instagram, TikTok or whatever, people are more social on there, you know, kind of thing.
00:19:14
But because LinkedIn does have a more professional audience, people get intimidated by that and feel like they have to, like, put on a different persona, for example, that they can't be themselves on LinkedIn. So that's a myth that I like to burst right now for you, that you absolutely, not only can you be yourself, but you need to be yourself. You need to be your authentic self if you are going to build a personal brand that attracts the audience that you're looking for, because your personality is your unique selling factor. It's your unique selling point. So lean into that. But so some of those obstacles is that whole thing of do I have to be professional? Can I be myself on LinkedIn? You know, what will people think of me?
00:19:55
What if I say something silly? What if I, you know, what if I, what if I look stupid on there? You know, what if, you know, all of those kind of thoughts around what other people think. But here's the thing. Other people are not thinking about you. You know, as much as our ego would have us think that, other people are not thinking about you. For the most part, they are concerned with themselves and what they are doing or not doing on LinkedIn. And actually, there's a really supportive community on LinkedIn that you probably don't get on platforms like X, for example, where people can just anonymously troll you and then, you know, that's it. But because LinkedIn, for the most part, is linked to people's real profiles and they're linked to their jobs, et cetera, people behave themselves a lot better.
00:20:41
So that's to say that there is an absolutely space for you to get started. On this platform, all those obstacles and those fears, you know, what, what do I say? Those are some of the other things as well. You just need a strategy. As long as you have a plan and a strategy, the rest will follow. And honestly, you'll get to love it once you get into, into the platform, you know, really well. Nice. And I really like how you elaborated on this, that you should be yourself and that you should not feel like judged in the sphere of, um, the LinkedIn, because there is a lots of professional audience that you actually have to be yourself in order to see the traffic. Uh, I have a question.
00:21:27
Uh, how do you actually find your strategy? So like, uh, how, what are the steps to start to build your strategy? If I, for example, don't really have experience in posting content, if I don't know where to actually start, if I don't have product to sell, uh, how can I start to build a strategy? So, so, so that's a really good question. This is a, this is one of the key areas I work with clients on, because it's that whole thing of, there are some things that you need support and assistance with. This is where coaches come into it. This is why I do LinkedIn coaching, because I know that people need support in that area to get started and get off the ground, you know?
00:22:08
So first out, and I will say, and I put it, I will put this out right now, if you are serious about using the platform and you want to get some real benefit, if it's out of it, you're going to need a coach, whether it's me or somebody else, it doesn't matter, but you're going to need somebody to support you in that journey to help you be accountable. I have a coach, I've used coaches in every area of life where I wanted to, you know, get success. And even in my hair, believe it or not, you know, I had a hair coach because I needed to learn how to do hair properly for my daughters, but that's a story for another time.
00:22:40
But it's really, really good that you invest in getting help for yourself to meet the goals that you want for your business. But let's say that you don't take that line and you want to create a strategy. The first place I will start is asking yourself, okay, what is my goal? What do I want out of LinkedIn? So is it that I want to attract more clients for my business? You know, is it that, you know, if you're in a, you know, a female executive, for example, which is some of the audience I work with, is it that I want to be recognized for promotion in that next role? So, because your goal will determine your strategy. So that's it. That's always the starting place. Okay. What's the goal that I want?
00:23:20
If you are looking for clients, for example, then it's like, okay, what kind of clients am I looking for now? Where would they be? So you need a strategy around how to find them. Where are they hanging out on LinkedIn? Because they are there, you know, it's about finding them. And I actually have a little mini-program called ABC challenge, which deals with, with this a little course, but it's where it's finding where your audience are and meeting them where they are. But I know also. So it's creating content that attracts them. So there's, there's two parts that you're doing. You're putting out content that is attracting them, but also you're going out there to find where they are and then you're pulling them in with your content.
00:23:58
So the two, almost like rowing a boat, the two needs to work hand in hand in order for you to get your, um, to your success. But just to reiterate, if you are create, if you want to create a strategy, the starting place is what is my end goal? What do I want to achieve from this platform? And then from there? You work backwards from there in terms of the audience, the content, and then create an engagement plan and off you go from there. So start with a goal, uh, get clear about what you want to actually do, what you want to do on LinkedIn, get a coach who can actually buy you a lots of time and also a lots of money.
00:24:35
We all know that, uh, the starting at the small business is really costly from, uh, the time resource, but also, uh, the money resource. And then, uh, you can start to also manage the engagement strategy, who is your audience? How to address they speak on LinkedIn and, uh, and a different aspect. Are there some, like, uh, uh, are there some. Uh, from, uh, the LinkedIn engagement strategy that you are currently doing and, uh, what, uh, the LinkedIn currently really likes, like for example, commenting on a second and third connections or something that you. Like discovered recently, because of the progress you've made in your times. updates of LinkedIn and you're like yes this works
00:25:18
and it's a new and modern yes keeping up with the algorithm is a real nightmare you know so so that's the thing and and and because the algorithm so right now LinkedIn over the past maybe I don't know maybe I'm about to say maybe four months or so that the real focus that LinkedIn has been trying to do is push out videos so they're trying to come for some of TikTok's audience so they've been pushing out videos they've been encouraging people to create videos TikTok style videos for the LinkedIn platform and that's what's taking over the feed these days you know so that's The so, one of the things that if you are trying
00:25:57
to keep up with the algorithm I do believe that it's important to be aware of what the algorithm is doing you know, but it is absolutely not something that I would say that you focus all your energy and efforts and just keeping up with the algorithm because it's exhausting you know, and you will not enjoy the process if you're just one minute you're switching to this because now this is what LinkedIn is favoring, next minute so don't chase likes, don't chase engagement, don't chase these things focus on creating valuable content for your audience and use things that knowledge Of what the algorithm is doing to support what you're already doing, but don't just do things just to chase viral, getting viral, and all of that kind of stuff
00:26:40
because that is exhausting, that's the quickest way to burn out and be and be upset every day when you look at your post and you see oh no this hasn't reached here or it hasn't done this, you know so just I'm just putting that as an aside because there will be times when you create a really fantastic post and you think yeah this is a great post and you put it out there and it's crickets, you know it's crickets, it's like maybe you get one two likes if you're lucky and then sometimes. You put out a post and you're thinking, 'this is just going to be whatever I mean, that's the thing that everybody loves, so there's that unpredictable element as well of the algorithm.
00:27:15
But just going back to your question, so LinkedIn is promoting video content right now at the time of this interview that we're doing, and also what works as well in algorithm, so remember I mentioned about engagement-so when you are putting out content, it's important that you also engage around the same time, so posting, pick a posting time with a lot of these things is that consistency helps one, it helps to train your audience like, 'okay this is when To expect you, it also helps to train you because it gives you some structure as well, right? So, for example, I post that generally I post at around 6: 30 a. m because that's the time that works for me morning is a good time you know to post because then you've got the rest of the day for everybody to catch up you know in the all the different time zones but 6 30 works for me because it's before my kids wake up before I do all the school run stuff so I'd
00:28:10
put my post but at the time that you're putting I put out my post I also engage and that means replying to comments on my previous post maybe replying to comments or engaging with comments on other people's posts at the same time that makes the algorithm happy you know in terms of you just so it's not just you dumping content but you're also engaging as well because the whole aim of the algorithm and all these social media platforms is to keep you there you know so when you're doing activities that keep you on the platform it's they're happy it's happy so just maybe get into a little routine of when you're posting content engage
00:28:47
a little bit before engage a little bit after and then you put it out there and if you've got time to engage throughout the day as well maybe in a little lunch break that kind of stuff just To keep the conversations going and to feed your content, baby, so to speak, you know but um, but yeah, so I do on my LinkedIn, feel free to follow me if you're listening to this, but I do kind of share new updates, so I'll see you in the next one. Thank you so much for joining us today and we'll see you in the next one. Thank you so much for joining us today and we'll see you in the next one. As on when it happens, so you can stay up to date on on that and through my weekly newsletter as well Visible Woman newsletter.
00:29:19
Nice, I really love it, and just a clarification: 6: 30 a. m. American time, I guess. Oh, it's my time, yeah I'm in the UK, so okay, yeah, but, but it's a . m, it could be so so the nice posting window generally it's like the morning time, but 6: 30 is probably early to be honest; it's the is a sweet spot wherever you are in the world right because it's morning time for you, but I just can't do that time period because it doesn't work for my life and I prioritize my life before I prioritize the algorithm, you know, so if you can post within that 7 to 9 kind of time slot and it works for you then that would be a nice window that generally tends to have the most engagement because people are, you know, maybe checking in before they start their working day all of that kind of stuff.
00:30:10
So, but experiment maybe experiment with different times; find what works for you, and then stick to that. I'm experimenting a lot, but I never experiment in the morning; I don't like experimentation in the morning. I'm not really creative in the morning, so maybe I will try one day when I will be like, 'Yeah, tomorrow is the day!' But then usually, I'm like, 'Nah, like a noon rather than lunch break and these kinds of times work better for me. Also, like for the engagement, it's a for for the people on the other side to just also have the kind of morning vibe you know. The morning one so but really good tip with the morning and with how to feed the post and the engagement.
00:30:51
You also mentioned burnout, so I also myself and also with my clients, we are experiencing like a social media burnout. It's usually that there is at the beginning overload of what you're doing, and then you're like, 'Oh my god, I don't know what I'm is required for the content.' We don't really see the engagement that we would like to see at the beginning. So, what do you advise for women-not only to get out of the burnout or to even like avoid it in the best place? Is it actually even avoidable because it seems to me that it's a bit part of the evolution that we are stretching our likes, it's something new, it's uncomfortable; we need to do it. It's another task on our to-do list is it actually avoidable to have a burnout on social media?
00:31:48
I am going to tell you that yes, it is absolutely avoidable. Right? I as I said earlier on, I posted on LinkedIn from that 30-day challenge, I posted every single day and weekends occasionally as well, and I did not burn out for four years. So, I took a pause for about a year, and I'm back on it again daily posting, but that was because my life went in a different direction, and I, for a moment, I was like, 'Okay, let me. I'm not gonna do LinkedIn coaching for a while; I'm gonna do something else.' But again, another long story. But in that time, in that four-year period where I did that, I did not burn out. Here's the thing: um, a lot of the times we have to put social media in its place, you know?
00:32:33
Social media is a tool; it is not real life, you know? So, I have made some great friends and some great connections. I was at an event just last night where I spoke at an event, and there's people in the audience that I know from LinkedIn, and I met from the first time, and it was like, 'We'll be friends forever,' you know? So, social media is great, and you can absolutely make real connections there, but we have to put it in its place, that it is a tool, and it is a tool that you're trying to use to Build your profile, grow your business, advance your career, whatever it is. So, one of the things I always tell my clients is to detach your ego from your post's.
00:33:11
It's easier said than done, right? Because as I said, sometimes you put out a post and you expect engagement, and you don't get any. And it's like, 'Oh, my god! I'm so rubbish!' You know, it's not, 'Oh, I'm so rubbish; no one wants to engage with me.' But it's like, your job is to be consistent, put that post out, and let the post do its work. Each post is gonna hit different; some will land well with your audience, some won't land as you get more consistent, knowing what your audience likes and what they don't like. Voice is, you're gonna be able to get that post out and you're gonna land more than
00:33:41
you don't, but really don't look at the how many people have liked or engaged every day because that stuff will wear you out and it'll burn you out, but also it's like if you don't enjoy what you're doing you are going to get burnt out a whole lot quicker, so one of the reasons I don't I have a TikTok account and I just give them my leftovers from LinkedIn, same with Instagram, right, so I just put videos I create for LinkedIn I throw it up on TikTok and I also throw it up on Instagram but I don't create content for either of those platforms you know uniquely. Because that is not my video, I love video and I love to do it, but creating video every day that would absolutely stress me out and burn me out because that's not my natural place that I love the most.
00:34:29
So one of the things as well, identify what works most for you. I am a I like writing first of all and I also love videos and I love writing every day putting that post written form I can do that without feeling burnt out. I do videos at least once a week, you know, and that works for me. If I had to create videos every day for a platform like TikTok or Instagram, I would be burnt out. It wouldn't work for me. So think about what works for you if you're Going to be posting on LinkedIn, don't also try to have a presence on something I advise clients like especially if you're learning a new platform.
00:35:07
Focus on that one platform for a period of time and you're going to be able to create content for that platform of at least three months, putting all your energy and efforts on that one platform. Don't try and be on LinkedIn, be on Instagram, do an eX, do a TikTok, have that YouTube account-all at the same time because you're trying to reach your audience everywhere, no recipe for burnout! So pick your best platform, invest your best energy there. Everyone else, you can give your, you can give. Your scraps, you know, that's the way I like to put it. You can give your scraps; you can give your leftover once you've mastered that one platform, that's your main platform, then maybe you can add another one to it, but don't take on too much at the same time.
00:35:44
And just finally, just keep social media in its place. One of the the things that I do is I understand the importance of visibility; this is what I preach. I have a background in PR and journalism all of that kind of stuff, so I understand the importance of putting yourself out there. But I also have a limit; you know. I don't put everything about myself out there. Like for example, I rarely Post about my kids, you know my husband, my family life because that is my private space and outside of social media I need my private space so I can recharge my batteries away. So sometimes when we blur the line between social media and real life, you've got no place to rest.
00:36:27
So when you get burnt out from social, you've got nowhere to go because your life has become social media. And I really advise against doing that, that's dangerous! Like keep your separate life, your private life separate. Doesn't mean if you want to share your kids everyone's different. You can share whatever element you feel like you need to, but just make sure that you have a private life and a place that you can step away from social media recharge refill your batteries and come back again if you need to because social media is a tool it is not your life so I hope that makes sense but it's just yeah I just I don't like
00:37:04
hearing about people getting burnt out because I it's like I feel like it's the strategies that are wrong and the positioning of you know where you're at but I just I don't like hearing about people getting burnt out because it's you put social media is wrong and that can be that can be fixed you know you've got to like it at least you know so you can avoid some of that it's A really powerful, Mildred, what you just shared with us to create the barrier between the social media and also the personal life, and especially I don't know if you know that there is now a lot of throughout the social media, mainly maybe Instagram. There is a saying 'fuck your mood, follow the plan.' So, what I get from this, it's a 'fuck your ego, follow the plan' in this case of posting on LinkedIn or on other platforms because it's really important that your ego is actually outside of that amazing post that you just want to share.
00:37:55
So this is something also that it's important to take into consideration. You said that you are posting. every day on linkedin what do you usually post about like do you have some like a strategy that like for example on monday wednesday i'm posting about business internal on thursdays i'm posting a bit of like personal story but like within your barriers on tuesday i'm posting for example about something else so i i create structure like that for my clients right but because i've done it for so long i'm a i'm a i'm a lot freer with my own structure so my structure is so with if you're someone that's new to posting on linkedin i definitely recommend having a structure of like okay maybe mondays is where i share um an inspirational Thought or quote or something that resonated with me, Wednesday.
00:38:55
I might post a video, Friday. I might do something lighter, more personal, you know that kind of thing. I, I really um and encourage you to create a structure like that because it helps you to stay with it, you know. But in terms of my own thing, because as I said I've done this for so long, it's kind of like I know roughly once a week, I will put out a video, you know one of my piece of content will be a video, one will be something like something inspirational that I've I'm sharing with my audience because I've been inspired by, you know usually my own quote, I like to quote myself. You know, create memes.
00:39:30
You know so like usually something I'm around that and then I'll share maybe the rest of the time in a week I'll share some tips around visibility you know something to do with LinkedIn that you will help somebody you know add some value to them you know maybe how they can be more consistent on LinkedIn something around that and then usually I'm if I'm at an event or something I've attended you know then I'll share some something around that so mine is is loose but I do what I do, do every weekend usually on a Saturday sometimes on a Sunday. Is I sit down and I look up what am I gonna um put out the next week all.
00:40:08
Throughout the week, and all the time, I'm constantly jotting down ideas in my notes so; and that's really important when you get ideas even if it's just a little fragment write it down, capture the ideas and more will come. So usually when I'm in the shower, I'm like, 'oh yeah, I quickly grab my phone, write it down' and so at the end of the week, I go; at the weekend, I go through, I'm like, 'okay what am I gonna talk about this week? Oh okay and then I'll go through my notes and then I'll create a picture. Right now because I'm currently in Season Three of my podcast, I have a podcast called Start Being Visible which is currently running Season Three.
00:40:44
So my podcast is part of my posting routine, so I post about that twice within the five days-once when I shared a video clip and another time when I share like the summary and then encourage people to go and listen. So it changes within the season but what doesn't change is that I plan ahead, you know, don't leave it to the day to like think oh my god what am I gonna post today? No planning in advance gives yourself if you're new to it give yourself at least a week in advance, you know, where you've planned out your your week's content a week ahead, and then even up to a month, you know, if you're if it helps you feel safer because again that's.
00:41:23
A way to like avoid running out of ideas, and that stress of oh my god I don't know what to say, and then eventually which will lead to burnout because you're always stressed about what to say. But if you put some structure in place, plan your content in advance, that will help eliminate a lot of that stuff. And is LinkedIn alive during the weekend? Uh, are there like people posting? Do you post during the weekend? Actually, absolutely! I do post during the weekend, you know. So people are people; people are on LinkedIn all the time, literally all the time. So, and and sometimes some people post lighter things on the weekend, but some People still also post work and still get engagement sometimes.
00:42:05
There's more engagement on the weekend because those people who are working nine to five, who are scared that their boss will see them commenting on LinkedIn, can now comment on Saturday and Sunday and not feel you know, not feel any way about it. So yeah, LinkedIn is definitely a seven days a week platform, but it doesn't mean you have to be a seven-day-a-week-on on there because as I said, it's really important the boundaries are super important to me; it's important that you put boundaries in place to protect one's emotional health, mental health, yours on all of that. Kind of stuff, so you don't have to be there seven days a week, but other people definitely are. Uh, and you said about the employers, uh, how can I be myself while employers can actually see me?
00:42:51
Like, uh, how uh to deal with this kind of feeling because like not everybody are self-employed or not everybody are CEO founders, they're also professionals who maybe want to start that side hustle but uh there is really a strong culture in the company that if you are not dedicated then like you um then you don't belong to the company or something like this. How can I like be myself, authentic while knowing this fact? Yeah, no, absolutely and And as I mentioned, I've been in, I've had my foot in both employment business space pretty much for my entire career. My personal brand that I've built up has actually been an asset in a lot of the jobs that I've, I've gone into.
00:43:44
And even um, the role two roles before the current one I'm in, I was pretty much headhunted, and the skills that I used to build up my LinkedIn profile were exactly the skills that were needed in the job, you know that I did so. And I work with clients all the time who worry about things like this, and here's that is, that one; the content that you're putting out there, so if you're putting out content that's around Thought leadership: if it's if your side hustle is similar to kind of what you do in your day job, etc. then you've got to be a bit more careful in terms of how you do it, but what you can do is position yourself as a thought leader in the space so you can talk about things from your work, but then maybe on the weekends you can talk about things that are relating to your side hustle if you're somebody who wants to be a leader in the space, you can talk about things from your
00:44:33
to make that transition, you know, so but or if there's if they're complementary, then you can kind of sometimes talk about work sometimes talk about um the business. Stuff, but as long as you're not flogging your wares like you know, book me, buy my business, all of that because then your employers are like, okay, what are you doing? So I know so many people on LinkedIn who, for example, occupy you know positions at work, like let's say there's there's a there's a lady who does um, like that you know, a really big firm quite high up, so her posts are really around the idea of diversity and it's, and it complements the work that she does.
00:45:12
In fact, I, I, I do talks for um, companies as well where I talk about the power of your employer-employee building your corporate brand, and you've got to give them that freedom. To do that, so if you're an employee, start putting things out there little things about just your thought leadership pieces is what I'm calling them around it and then you can talk about what you're doing and what you're doing and what you're doing, you know things that you're learning on the job not not one of those boring you know just reposting things from your company LinkedIn page because no one cares about that stuff but if you've done something good at work then find a way to talk about it on LinkedIn and as you start to do this like I've done with many clients, you will find that you will start to be elevated in the right.
00:45:55
Organization in the eyes of the people at work, so your visibility on LinkedIn actually contributes to your visibility back at work because the two are linked. If you're connected with the right people and you're using it as an opportunity to showcase what you know outside of just the role that you do on a day-to-day basis, but um it is absolutely possible to be visible and be an employee at the same time-I love that! That's really uh motivational and inspirational for people out there, especially on LinkedIn, because I think that this is really number one, especially here in Europe, not that much in UK or US. I think in UK and US, LinkedIn Got already another level, that uh, it's really like a widespread to do the personal brand on LinkedIn and how to use it for employment.
00:46:43
But here in Europe, we are still living that it's a CV that you just exchange it with people when networking, that you give them just the QR code just to connect, but almost nobody is actually posting here, it's still a bit weird uh to be able to do that. So I think it's really important to post on LinkedIn. Uh, so it's really interesting what you are saying that it can actually help you with employment, with your employers, with even the relationships you are still professional. Is it also possible? Uh, just thinking outside of the box, that I create on my LinkedIn, that for example I have my employment and I have my side hustle, and my employer knows about my side hustle and that I will use LinkedIn only for my side hustle, I will not be mentioning my employer there, uh, just like maybe site information.
00:47:42
Yeah, I also work for this um XYZ but uh, is it also possible to use LinkedIn only for your side hustle and how to like invest in your future in your next step and independence? Probably yes, yes, no that that is it is possible to do that, but just just so quickly on what you said, I think it's really important to be able to do that and I think About in Europe, um, people not using it much what I hear is that that is a real opportunity for anybody who says, you know what I'm gonna put my hand out and I'm gonna start using it in a way where I build my brand and thought leadership.
00:48:16
What's gonna happen is you're gonna be ahead of the pack, you know, and and what usually happens people might criticize initially and then they're like, then they get inspired and then you're the one getting all the accolades and all the opportunities. So if you're listening to this and in your field and in your industry other people are going to be able to do that so I think it's really important to be able to do that and not doing it that's a great reason for you to start doing it and start being visible so so that's the first thing but um but yes there are times you can so some people have tried this where
00:48:45
they've like they said okay i'm gonna use it as um for my side hustle and i'm gonna block all my employee employers from employers from seeing my profile and on my workmates and stuff i don't believe that's a good strategy to go and block your employers and workmates etc because if they somehow find out that you're not doing it you're not doing it you're not doing it you're not doing it then it feels like you're kind of being Deceitful so I prefer that you're up front with with things like this whether it requires unless unless your company specifically prohibits that you have a business on the side or anything like that some companies do
00:49:16
depending on where you work and what it is then it's like it's something that you need to be open about and also but you have to do it in a sensible way so for example don't be posting on LinkedIn at 12 o'clock in the middle of the afternoon and you're not doing it you're not doing it you're not doing it you're not doing it on a work day you know because then your boss will be thinking hold on a minute why are you on Linkedin posting about your business when you know I'm employed to do whatever it is in the office, you know, so that's one thing you have to be strategic and clever about this.
00:49:47
So things like if you are going to do that then maybe you put out your post before you start work, and then you interact after work, so you're not doing it in that nine-to-five window. So if the boss ever says 'oh why are you doing this it's like actually this is what I'm doing, and then you're not doing it in that in my spare time outside of work, I know it doesn't impact my work in any way because I'm still brilliant at work, you know, so that's one thing. But I just want to touch on the fact that there might be times when it is better that you don't explicitly name the company that you work for.
00:50:17
For example, right now I'm in a contract role and in comms as I said I do communications and head of comms in a in a pharmaceutical company but I don't name the exact company that it is on my profile because I have a lot of rules around social media stuff and what you can and can't do so I'm like it's better for me not to be associated with them publicly and just continue to do my stuff than to now have to be under all of the regulations of what I can or can't say on my own social media profile, so that's So, there are times where it's it's better to just do that and
00:50:55
just kind of just put a vague description but not link directly to the company, some people put things like 'views shared on my own' so that there's clarity that this is just you and you're not representing the company because again that's something that employers fear that you're going to say something that's going to make them look bad, you know. So these are just some of the ways to appease some of that. But I want to end that by saying it's super important that you take charge of building your personal brand even as an employee because a job is not guaranteed; your job. Is not guaranteed, but your personal brand can take you through different roles, different challenges, and you can't just
00:51:32
transition and can unlock opportunities for you in ways that your current job probably can't do so it's something that's worth investing the time and that risk of building because it will pay off eventually if you continue with it, love it, uh, it's a really nice wrap-up of how you can start your side hustle on LinkedIn, uh, but only, uh, not only because you can also balance your employment and your side hustle there, uh, thank you so much Mildred, uh, my last question would be if you have something uh to share. With our audience, some last comments-something that I maybe didn't pay enough attention uh during the questions that we have covered uh during this podcast episode, something that you would like to share, last comment, questions, uh or like uh or anything what you would like to uh say to our audience.
00:52:24
I know I think I think you had some really brilliant questions. I really hope that this has been helpful to anybody listening. So if you are listening to this, I really really really want to reiterate the message of start being visible, literally start today-take that first step and that first step is okay making the decision to Say, right this is something that I'm going to invest in because I promise you it will pay off. When I started the journey of building my personal brand as I said initially it was accidental and then when I became intentional about it, the way LinkedIn changed my life is what I like to say. Sounds like an exaggeration, but some of the opportunities that I've had as a result, I've even spoken in countries I've never been to all expenses paid, all of that free connections on LinkedIn, you know receive recognition as LinkedIn Top Voice and lots of benefits that come with that, but it's like and then also what it's done for my career.
00:53:16
My own business, so being visible on this platform is great, but also how I can impart to other people as well, you know. I can't tell you the number of times people have come to me, whether online or in person, and said, 'Because of you this X, Y, and Z.' My visibility unlocks other people's visibility; your visibility will do the same for your audience. We all need each other to start showing up, especially as women. We need to see more of us in those places and those positions that we don't normally occupy, because that would then encourage others to say 'yes' if you can do this, so can I. So, start being visible today. Love. It and that's a wrap-up for today's episode of Your Brand, Your Business.
00:54:00
I hope you got some valuable insights to take your brand and business to the next level. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to be visible. Thank you so much, Mildred, for coming to our episode today, and for sharing all of your valuable insights. We covered a lot from the employment balancing with side hustles from how to also inspire other women, how to inspire other people around you, and I'll see you in the next episode. Bye bye, and much more from also obstacles and how to overcome burnout. And you guys, everything is also for you. Thank you so much for listening. Uh, and if you want more, connect with me on Instagram @marieolivie or also LinkedIn, or check out our coaching offers at marieolivie. com. And let's build a brand that works for you, not the other way around. And remember, your brand is your superpower. See you in the next episode. Bye.
